Is there a way to tell what color egg an EE pullet will lay?

[ReikiStar]

I have a friend who swears you can tell the color of the eggs a day old EE pullet will eventually lay by the color of her legs. Does anyone know this to be true? or of any other way to determine what color egg it will lay?

Legs = Eggs?

 

[ChickChicHurray]

That is a great question, I have blue and green legged eggers, however they are not old enough to lay. I hope that is true, maybe someone will know and respond.

 

[Pele]

Nope, your friend would be a billionare if she could actually do that without knowing the genetics involved.. There are statistics that you can keep in mind so that you can make an educated guess, but you are guessing with a bird that is by nature mixed (They are not a breed, and hatcheries can use whatever they want in breeding them).

For example, it is known that the chance that a bird carries a blue egg gene is statistically higher if the same bird also has a pea comb, since the two genes for these traits are commonly inherited together due to their position on the chromosome.

Also, if the bird develops white ears (highly uncommon in EEs, even if they are mixed), that means they will lay white to cream eggs.

Beyond that, she'd just have to be a lucky guesser

. Maybe you should take her to Vegas.

 

[ReikiStar]

Her theory is purple-ish legs = blue egg layer, yellow legs = brown or pink eggs, and a green cast = olive or green eggs.

Personally, I don't think there is any value to her "theory" but thought I'd put it out there in case anyone has been able to predict egg color based on a physical feature like comb shape.

 

[dretd]

My EE has willow legs and a pea comb and lays the biggest jumbo tinted (some would call them pink to fit with the whole Easter theme but they are really tinted) eggs. What she lacks in color she makes up for in size and frequency.

I would love to hear your friend's method!

 

[speckledhen]

Your friend is wrong. Leg color has zero to do with egg color.

 

[Whittni]

Hey genetics are weird like that, you never know...those dang mutations.

 

[stone_family3]

Sorry you just can't ever tell. I have an EE, named Olive, she came from a long line of Olive egg layers. I saw pics of her sibs and grand/great grand parents, met some sibs and her mom. They all laid Olive eggs. My Olive lays brown eggs with speckles on one end

 

[debid]

...

Also, if the bird develops white ears (highly uncommon in EEs, even if they are mixed), that means they will lay white to cream eggs.

...

I'm going to have to disagree with this. I have two of these "highly uncommon" white-eared EEs. One lays pastel blue eggs and the other lays sage green. My red-eared EE lays blue-green. I don't believe ear color has any more to do with anything than leg color once mixing has taken place.

 

[Pele]

I'm going to have to disagree with this. I have two of these "highly uncommon" white-eared EEs. One lays pastel blue eggs and the other lays sage green. My red-eared EE lays blue-green. I don't believe ear color has any more to do with anything than leg color once mixing has taken place.

Actually, I have to disagree that we are disagreeing

Our points both show nicely that while educated guesses can be made, accuracy can't be guarenteed when it comes to egg color when it comes to mixed birds. Especially not via the method that the OP's acquiantance was proposing.

I have to say though, I am super jealous that you get blue eggs! I'm hoping and praying my newest EE will bless me with them.